


Give Me A Sign

by JinxedAmbitions



Category: Supernatural
Genre: Barista Dean, Deaf Castiel, Deaf Character, Fluff, M/M, coffee shop AU
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-09-22
Updated: 2015-09-22
Packaged: 2018-04-22 18:21:59
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,074
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4845659
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/JinxedAmbitions/pseuds/JinxedAmbitions
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>When a good-looking customer gives Dean too much money and leaves, Dean gets more than he bargains for when trying to return the money. The awkward encounter leaves Dean wanting to get to know Castiel better, but there's just one problem. He doesn't understand what Castiel is saying.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Give Me A Sign

**Author's Note:**

> Oh man please forgive me for that awful title.
> 
> This was originally posted on tumblr for an anon request of: Destiel with deaf Cas please?

It had been a long morning, but Dean should have known something was up when the slightly disheveled guy— with piercing blue eyes that never left Dean’s mouth and a serious case of bead head— slid a paper with his order across the counter when Dean said, “hello. How can I help you?” It was only an order for a large black coffee and a blueberry muffin.

“Comin’ right up,” Dean said with his patented flirty grin and stepped back to fill the order. The man gave Dean a tight smile, and Dean filled the large foam cup then grabbed a muffin from the display. “That’ll be $2.40,” Dean said as he passed the goods over, but the dark haired man already had money ready.

Dean took it but before he could count it, the man was walking away. Of course, he’d been given too much, because Fate wasn’t fond of Dean. The guy had accidentally handed him a twenty dollar bill with his $2.40.

“Sir, you gave me too much,” Dean called, but the guy didn’t turn around.  _Shit_. Dean ran after him. “Hey, you gave me too much money,” Dean said as he gripped the guy’s shoulder just as he was reaching the alley beside the shop.

Dean was flipped over the guy’s shoulder before he could register what was happening. Pain shot through his back as he hit the sidewalk, and he looked up to see the man stared down at him in confusion, as though he expected to see an ax murderer and not his barista.

“Forgot your money,” Dean groaned as he held up the twenty.

The man blushed and opened his mouth then closed it again. “Sorry,” he finally said in a deep voice, but it sounded rough and unused—all manner of hot in Dean’s opinion. The man pointed to his ear, and that’s when Dean saw the hearing aids. _Double shit._

“Sorry, sorry. You left…”

The man shook his head, and Dean felt a bit helpless. Where was Sammy when he needed him? He probably knew sign language. It was then that Dean realized the guy was covered in his coffee from throwing Dean.

“Fuck, um…”

“I read lips if you gesture,” the guy said as he helped Dean up.

“You gave me a twenty with the two dollars,” Dean said as he held up the bill. “Come inside. You can dry off, and I’ll get you another coffee,” Dean said gesturing to the man’s wet clothes and the shop. 

People were looking at them strangely, and the guy seemed uncomfortable. Dean really couldn’t blame them. Dean looked like he was putting on a middle school play with all of the exaggerated gestures and the awkwardly paced speaking, because he didn’t know what the hell he was doing.

It would later occur to him—after seeing him multiple times around others—that the man might get looks a lot, and that’s why he was uncomfortable. That thought angered Dean a lot, and he got defensive of him.

“I’m Dean,” he introduced as he pointed to his name tag and brought his arm around the man’s shoulders to guide him inside.

“Castiel,” the guy said as he let Dean lead him. Cas made a small pained noise when Dean limped as they walked, but Dean waved him off. Cas had every right to be wary in the shitty part of the city, and Dean should’ve realized what was up before he manhandled him. Dean was usually good at picking up on things.

Dean gave Castiel a kitchen towel to dry off with and one of the coffee shop’s t-shirts. He remade Cas’ order while Cas changed, and Dean handed it to him with an apologetic smile. Cas wrote out his thanks on the little note he’d written his order on, and Dean wrote back that he was very sorry for scaring him, and he hoped Cas would come back again.

That night, Dean sat down with Sam’s laptop most of the night, looking up American Sign Language. By morning, he wasn’t very good, but he could sign  _Hello, Castiel, I’m sorry. Do you want to go on a date?_

Cas came in with his little note just past the lunch rush when the shop was empty, but Dean greeted him by signing. Cas returned the greeting with a soft smile.

When Dean placed his order down, Cas counted the money out very deliberately, and Dean laughed. Before Cas left, Dean asked him out with his new knowledge. Cas snorted and signed something back very quickly then turned to leave.

“Wait, what does that mean? Was that a yes?” Dean called, but it was no use, and chasing after Cas had ended poorly for his back last time. Maybe he should have learned possible responses as well, but at least Cas didn’t look mad.

Dean couldn’t figure out what Cas said that night either, but he learned a few more phrases. It was slow going, and his hands weren’t used to moving like the diagrams demanded. However, Dean was determined to show Castiel that he was dedicated.

The next day, Cas slid his order across the counter, but there was also a small note.  _How are you?_

Dean looked up ready to answer, but as soon as he did, Cas pointed to the paper then signed. He repeated it, then he pointed to Dean. Then he had them do it together. Finally, Cas motioned for Dean to do it on his own. 

Dean smiled, and showed Cas he had learned the first few letters of the alphabet. Cas returned the smile shyly and collected his order. Dean asked Cas out again, but Cas signed the same thing. 

After that, every day, Cas brought in a new phrase for Dean, and they slowly built a rapport. When Cas would leave, Dean would always ask him out, and Cas’ answer was always the same, but Cas always smiled and always came back the next day.

For two months, this went on, until one day Cas’ note said,  _I would love to go out with you when you can talk to me_. When Dean looked up, Cas signed what he’d been signing for months.

Dean broke into a bright smile and signed back,  _I get done at 8_.

Cas gave Dean his address with the small smile that Dean had come to love over that last couple of months. 


End file.
